


Ugly

by Lacrimula_Falsa



Series: My First Bingo [5]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: 2018 Stony MCU Bingo, Arc Reactor, M/M, Wedding Night
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-01
Updated: 2018-06-01
Packaged: 2019-05-17 00:55:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14822162
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lacrimula_Falsa/pseuds/Lacrimula_Falsa
Summary: This, this is later. [For 2018 STONY MCU Bingo, “arc reactor”. Steve/Tony, complete.]





	Ugly

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own any part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and/or any other Marvel franchise. I write for fun, not for profit.
> 
>  _A/N:_ For the S5 free space on my 2018 STONY MCU Bingo card, I choose the prompt "arc reactor". This was supposed to be a bondage scene, I have no idea what went wrong there. Unbetad due to time constraints. Please forgive any mistakes, I lost most of the document and re-typed in a hurry. Comments are anything but ugly, they're beautiful. 
> 
> My card and the other stories I wrote for it can be found here: https://lacrimula-falsa.dreamwidth.org/4105.html

His hands are shaking.

Tony takes a deep breath and tries to still the trembling of his fingers, fumbling with his shirt button.

It's not a big deal. He's only going to show Steve the machine in his chest. It's fine. Completely fine. No problem.

Damn it, he is _not_ having a panic attack _now_ of all times!

“Tony.”

Steve very gently pulls his hands away from his shirt.

“You don't have to do this if it's hard for you. You can show me later.”

But Steve doesn't get it. Because this, this is _later_. This is already much too late for this to happen.

They've been together five years. Tony once jokingly told Steve that he'd get to see the arc reactor on their wedding night. Which is right now.

_Welp, way to back yourself into a corner, Stark._

Wedding night; check. Long list of unfulfilled promises he regrets; check. He's not gonna add another one to it.

“No. I have to. I want to. It's just–“

 _Ugly. Intrusive. Alien._ He swallows the words.

He knows that to other people the arc reactor is grotesque and horrifying. He still remembers Pepper's face when she saw it. Not something he'll ever forget.

“It's just hard?”

Steve's voice is infinitely gentle. Tony nods.

“Well, like ripping off a band-aid then.”

And with that, Steve grabs his shirt and tears the front in half.

“Wow.”

“Do you want to know what that cost?”

But Steve's not listening to Tony's deflection. He's staring at Tony's chest, one hand hovering over the blue circle of light in the middle of the arc even though Tony knows Steve knows that he can touch it without hurting it or Tony.

“It looks worse than I expected.”

Tony breathes out in a rush like he's been punched. Steve puts a hand on his chin, tipping it up so he's looking into kind blue eyes.

“Not the reactor, Tony. I see that in the armour. I meant the scarring.”

 _Oh_.

Nobody _ever_ talked about the scaring. Not even doctors. Tony wonders if your heart can actually burst because you love someone too much.

“Do they hurt?”

He shakes his head, feeling strangely numb. His mind distantly informs him that that's the adrenaline wearing off.

“No. I can't feel them.”

“Well, not much sense in kissing them better then.”

“I'd ra– I'd rather you don't touch them.”

Steve presses a kiss to his shaking fingers, draping Tony's shirt so it hangs mostly closed, hiding the reactor and the scars from sight.

“Then I won't.”

And that, Tony, realises with sudden clarity, _is it_. Because that's just the way Steve is. Case closed. Deed done. Nothing more to talk about.

He married this man. He should really have known better than to expect anything else.

**Author's Note:**

> I always wanted to write a scene where Tony shows someone he loves the reactor and it's just not a Thing. Somehow I always pictured that scene with Steve, so what better opportunity to write it than a Stony bingo event. Yay!


End file.
